The U.S. State Department said Wednesday that a proposal remains on the table to extend the ceasefire in Gaza, but the opportunity for an agreement is "closing fast."
A State Department spokesperson said the plan would include the release of five live hostages, including American Edan Alexander, along with a "substantial number" of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
"The opportunity is still there, but it's closing fast," the spokesperson added, emphasizing Washington's support for Israel while calling the proposal "compelling."
Meanwhile, the Israeli military announced the resumption of ground operations in Gaza, as a second day of airstrikes killed at least 48 Palestinians, according to local health officials cited by Reuters. A day earlier, more than 400 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes, marking one of the deadliest days since the war began in October 2023, Reuters reported.
The renewed fighting shattered nearly two months of relative calm following a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza.
The latest escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants launched an attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking approximately 250 hostages, according to Israeli authorities.
Israel's subsequent military offensive in Gaza has killed over 49,000 Palestinians, according to the local health ministry, and displaced nearly the entire 2.3 million population of the enclave. The humanitarian crisis has also sparked allegations of genocide and war crimes, which Israel denies.
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U.S. President Donald Trump says Washington is not seeking an extension of its memorandum of understanding with Iran, claiming the U.S. already controls the Strait of Hormuz through its naval blockade.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Ukraine has targeted at least 20 Wildberries warehouses across Russia since 18 July, disrupting a major logistics network. Kyiv says the strikes aim to disrupt alleged military-linked supplies, while the attacks have caused billions of dollars in losses and wider economic pressure.
Russia said its air defences downed 180 drones over the Moscow region overnight, with 620 drones reportedly targeting the area, according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is facing growing pressure as his approval ratings fall and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party gains support.
At least six Palestinians have been killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, according to Palestinian health officials, as efforts by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration to advance a plan to end the war remain deadlocked.
Georgia’s newly elected Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III is set to visit Istanbul, with the upcoming trip discussed during a meeting with Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, a representative of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I.
Azerbaijan’s strategic rise is turning it from a transit state into a regional rule-setter, with the Middle Corridor giving Baku growing influence far beyond its size, analyst Ahmad Alili says.
Kyrgyzstan is seeking to boost fuel imports from China as it looks to diversify supplies and reduce the risks of its heavy reliance on Russia.
At least 42 children were injured in an explosion at an educational centre in western Kabul on Monday, sparking international calls for a full investigation.
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